Such electrical switching arrangements are used for a variety of purposes, for example in automobiles in which when a switch is operated the driver and/or the front passenger must be able to see that it has been operated. Examples of such include a switch for the electric rear windscreen heater or also a switch for the hazard warning lights system. With these switches, a switching state is indicated by a visual display, and this visual display signals that this switching state has been reached.
The button guided in the switch housing may be put into two fixed switching states, in one switching state an electrical circuit is closed, and in the other switching state the electrical circuit is open. Such a button may be in the form of a pushbutton or a pull-button or also a rotating button.
Electrical switching arrangements that use a guide track in the form of a heart-shaped curve to produce at least one fixed switching state are known from the prior art. A spring that is in operative connection with the button is guided in this heart-shaped curve, and the spring is often guided not only along the track curves, but also over ramps. The ramps have a gradual upward incline on one side, so that a portion of the spring is able to slide over it, but at the end of the ramp there is a sharp drop to a lower level, and noises are generated when the spring passes over this ramp and descends to the lower level. The spring is guided in three dimensions, and it also functions as a resonance amplifier.
In addition, the alignment of the spring is usually vertical according to the prior art, such that the switch known for example from DE 197 14 163 C2 is a relatively high structure. The greater structural height is often awkward in many operational uses, where the installation space is extremely limited.
Hence there is a desire for an electrical switch arrangement, which enables safe switching with lower installed height and reduced noise generation. At the same time, the reliable display of a switching state should not be obstructed.